Alexandria’s ranking isn’t as high as last year on Travel + Leisure’s annual “Best Cities in the U.S.” list, but it has remained in the top 10.
Travel + Leisure announced the winners of the 2026 World’s Best Awards yesterday (July 7). Winners were determined by feedback from about 207,000 readers around the world.
Alexandria ranked ninth among U.S. cities just behind New York and ahead of Greenville (S.C.). The 2026 ranking puts Alexandria alongside other top destinations, including Santa Fe, N.M. (#1), Charleston, S.C. (#2), Savannah, Ga. (#3), New Orleans (#4) and Chicago (#5).
This is the fifth consecutive year Alexandria has earned recognition on the prestigious list. Last year, the city ranked fifth, up ten places from the previous year. Visit Alexandria, the city’s tourism organization, has pursued high-profile rankings from Travel + Leisure and other publications to promote the city as a visitor destination.
Travel + Leisure praised Alexandria for its core Old Town district filled with shops, restaurants and historic buildings, as well as the centuries-old Old Town Farmers’ Market. Del Ray got a nod for its art and restaurant scene, Carlyle and Eisenhower for business and innovation, and the West End for its craft brewing scene and international restaurants.
The city also earned points for its waterfront location, allowing visitors to take a water taxi to D.C. or George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Other landmarks highlighted by the magazine were the African American Heritage Trails, Torpedo Factory Art Center, Manumission Tour Company, Mount Vernon Trail, Carlyle House, The Birchmere and The Athenaeum.
“Combining colonial history and contemporary style with waterfront scenery, great food, and outdoor fun, Alexandria has everything a visitor could want, and its location just minutes from Washington, D.C. is a bonus,” Travel + Leisure said. “For the best of both worlds, a short trip via water taxi, bus, or Metrorail connects the relaxing ambiance of Alexandria with the bustling atmosphere of the nation’s capital.”
The 2026 World’s Best Award winners will be featured in the August issue of Travel + Leisure that will be sold starting on July 17.
